ChainStaff Image
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 5 Critic Reviews What's this?

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  • Summary: Our planet is under attack from the Star Spores, and they've warped life on Earth into ferocious uber-bugs. Even worse, a nasty alien has made its new home directly attached to your head.

    But it's not all bad news - your new best friend has provided both the strength to fight back against
    Our planet is under attack from the Star Spores, and they've warped life on Earth into ferocious uber-bugs. Even worse, a nasty alien has made its new home directly attached to your head.

    But it's not all bad news - your new best friend has provided both the strength to fight back against the mutated horde, and control over a weapon that can tip the balance of the battle in humanity's favor: the ChainStaff.

    As you traverse the surreal landscape, you'll encounter your fellow soldiers, stranded in harsh environments. Do you rescue your comrades, or listen to the alien voice in your head and harvest them for upgrades?

    If you can persevere and defeat the Star Spores, perhaps you can save everyone...including yourself.
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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 5
  2. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. Apr 8, 2026
    81
    I had a blast with ChainStaff in all of its disgustingly gruesome action-packed glory; it's indie 2D action at its most ridiculous and I love it.
  2. Apr 7, 2026
    80
    ChainStaff is a game of excess. And that excess is packed into a tight package of constantly surprising and bizarre creatures that often defy explanation. Enough creativity is stretched over the surface of the game to forge its own direction. Using a parasitic alien’s veined weapon as a tool to Tarzan past grotesque worlds and entities is nothing you can say about almost any other game. It may get chaotic and illegible at times but when it’s so gnarly, who cares?
  3. Apr 20, 2026
    75
    ChainStaff is an imperfect but incredibly inspired game. An action platformer that takes the best of a bygone era and reimagines it with a visual imagination that’s rare in today’s landscape. It has obvious flaws, including a fluctuating pace, a few too many frustrations, and a less than perfect readability. But it also has something that many more polished games lack: a strong, recognizable, and continually surprising vision. It’s a game that dares, exaggerates, and fails, but never ceases to be interesting. And in a market full of well-crafted but soulless works, that’s quite a feat.
  4. Apr 10, 2026
    70
    A bit uneven, but when it’s in motion, swinging, flipping, doing its weird alien thing, it’s hard not to like ChainStaff.
  5. Apr 26, 2026
    70
    ChainStaff delivers a frantic 2D platformer experience reminiscent of Contra and Metal Slug, infused with sarcastic, grotesque humor and 80s heavy metal aesthetics. Despite its imperfections and menu navigation issues, ChainStaff is a recommended, affordable title for retro action fans seeking a bizarre, unique experience, though it loses some steam after the initial novelty.